Alex Pereira’s incredible UFC journey continues, though his latest victory came with more challenges than anticipated.
In the main event of UFC 307, Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) retained his light heavyweight title with a fourth-round stoppage over Khalil Rountree Jr. at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Pereira broke down a resilient Rountree with a series of devastating body punches, earning his third successful title defense.
This marked Pereira's third title defense in just 176 days, following his headlining bouts at UFC 300 in April and UFC 303 in June. Unlike his previous knockout victories against Jamahal Hill and Jirà Procházka, Pereira faced significant adversity this time, as Rountree refused to back down.
Rountree, fighting out of Las Vegas, entered as the UFC’s No. 8-ranked light heavyweight, a controversial choice over higher-ranked contenders like Magomed Ankalaev. However, he proved his critics wrong, taking the early advantage and leading on all three judges' scorecards (29-28) heading into the fourth round.
"This was one of my toughest fights. I expected that," Pereira said post-fight. "The game plan was to let him tire out. I saw his stamina start decreasing in the second round, and mine only goes up."
Pereira employed his signature patient approach, delivering a steady stream of calf kicks and jabs. Rountree held his ground in the early rounds, landing several powerful left hands and even dropping Pereira briefly in the second round with a right hand after countering a head kick.
As the fight wore on, Pereira’s steady pressure began to pay off. Rountree’s conditioning faltered in the high-altitude environment of Salt Lake City. By the end of the third round, he was visibly exhausted and bleeding from several cuts around his eyes. Pereira, sensing his moment, continued to press forward, landing a barrage of punches.
In the fourth round, Pereira capitalized on Rountree's fatigue. He rocked the challenger with a right hand, forcing Rountree into survival mode. Pereira then delivered a relentless combination of punches, including a crushing uppercut and body shots that ultimately dropped Rountree to the canvas at 4:32 of the round.
Pereira’s dominance was clear in the numbers, outlanding Rountree 63-15 in significant strikes during the fourth round, and 127-61 overall.
With this victory, Pereira became the fifth fighter in UFC history—joining Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Chuck Liddell, and Frank Shamrock—to win three pay-per-view main events by knockout or submission in a single calendar year.
As Pereira’s legend grows, the question now is what’s next for him. He has hinted at a return to middleweight to challenge Dricus Du Plessis or even a move up to heavyweight for a potential showdown with current champion Jon Jones. However, for now, Pereira seems content in the light heavyweight division.
"We saw that Dricus is fighting Sean Strickland next," Pereira said. "He's a training partner, and I don’t want to get in the way. I could move up to heavyweight, but I’m comfortable in this division."
Whatever comes next for Pereira, the world will be watching as his remarkable run continues.
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